Alone I Stand, Together I Shatter
by detrametal
Summary: Many people have done rewrites of KHR, sadly, I am joining those ranks, but in a much different fashion. Tsuna has raised himself since as far back as he can remember, destitue and breaking his body to survive through school, out of the blue a hit man claims that he will be the 11th "Sorry, I can't" This Tsuna is a bit different...calmer...stronger, but more fragile than glass
1. Chapter 1

I don't own KHR…probably for the better since I can't draw worth squat…

If you haven't read the note on my profile please do

* * *

The fifteen year old unlocked the door and called out "I'm home!" he wasn't surprised when nothing but his echo answered him. This was a particularly unusual boy, he worked two jobs and went to school, his parents were alive, yet they never bothered to call or even come home. Honestly, he couldn't even remember what the woman who gave birth to him looked like-who could blame him, they were gone an entire two-thirds of his life leaving him alone and sending only spare change a month.

He tossed his keys into a small basket by the door with his wallet and a few other things he needed before he left the house and crawled to the couch before falling face first into the ratty cushion, it was a Saturday and he only had to work from 4 to noon. His soft snores filled the room for a few moments before a knock at the door roused him. Groggily he answered to see someone at the door "Ciaossu"

He stared down at the child before looking around, with a sigh he scratched his head "Well…if you're sure you're at the right house come on in"

The child lifted a brow "Just like that you'd let me in? Even if I am a child I might be dangerous"

The owner of the home simply shrugged "My life sucks anyways so it doesn't make much difference if I die now or in eighty years. Coffee?"

The fedora tipped "If you have some espresso I'd be happy to take it off your hands"

The elder boy shook his head "The machine is way too expensive, I have water, tea, milk, coffee and…oh, I have some orange juice" came the voice from inside the fridge along with the sound of things moving.

"Coffee please"

Tsuna set the two cups down before allowing the baby to take a sip and nod "Okay, I have to ask what your business is, but this is my only day off and I'd really like to get rid of you and go back to sleep"

The curly sideburn wearing baby blinked not once but twice in surprise "You'd really throw a baby out on the street?"

"I survived without parents and obviously you're not a normal kid, you look what…two, three max and here you are speaking like an adult and drinking coffee, not to mention that that suite probably cost more than everything in this house-including the house-combined."

The child smirked "My name is Reborn. I'm an assassin called forth to tutor you to become a mafia boss"

"Sorry, can't do it. I simply don't have the time" Reborn was stunned by the brilliantly clear face the boy presented.

But he had to try "Why is that?"

Tsuna tallied the reasons on his fingers "I go to school and have two jobs that work me everyday but Saturday and Sunday, but the latter I have to use to repair things and study. I'm not all that smart so I have to study a lot just to not fail. And to be honest I have to make a budget for not just my very limited money and brain capacity but for my time too. So please, if you have another candidate use them first."

Reborn allowed himself to be led out of the house as he digest that information, he walked to a nearby park and flicked open his Leon phone "Get me Decima...now you sorry little ingrate"

* * *

Nana Vongola Sawada stepped out of the door and sharply turned "Grandpa why exactly do you want to do this now?"

The aged Timote smiled as he tapped his cane lightly against the ground "I want you to go home and see your son, after all you haven't seen his face for ten years! He'd be a grown man by now!"

The mother absently shook her head as she signed a paper "No, he'd only be fifteen this year"

The Ninth's smile fell and an icy glare cut into her "What." she slowly turned, fear in her eyes "You left a five year old child by himself." she tried to step back but her feet were iced to the ground "You left him for all this time. I thought your bloodline was better than that"

The phone split the pregnant silence and the elderly man tapped a button "Hello Reborn, how is the trip?"

"Timote, is Nana there with you?"

"Yes she is" the tone wasn't happy.

"What about Iemitsu?"

"He should be here momentarily, I assume this is about the age of the candidate and the total disregard that his parents have shown him." said blond walked in and the doors iced over and the look he got from his wife spelled everything out for him.

Reborn took a deep breath over the phone to try to maintain his calm demeanor "Nana, how much money do you send on a weekly basis?"

The woman answered calmly "Enough for the house to be paid and for groceries."

"Apparently it's not enough, I was just by that house and your son is working two full time jobs and going to school. I took a peak in the rooms and barren is the word that comes to mind, not just of furniture and clothes but food as well, a mouse would starve trying to find extra food, and his shopping list was woefully short. I also took the liberty of stealing his phone logs. Why don't I see any number linked to you? Ever."

* * *

As Tsuna walked to school that Monday a small thump settled on his tired shoulders, with only a glance he grated "Hello Reborn. I take it the other candidate declined?"

Reborn sipped on an espresso "Actually there are no other candidates. But I do have to ask how you can take all this so calmly."

The boy stopped walking for a moment "I worked hard to keep my mind open, if I didn't I wouldn't have either of the jobs I have now- one is an assistant to a law firm, essentially I do any grunt work they need."

He started walking again and Reborn tipped the fedora down over his eyes "And the other?"

"Part of the cleaning staff for a brothel…and assistant, if they need something they call me." the cardboard cup in the tiny hitman's had crumbled.

"How did you come by that job?"

Tsuna shrugged, a favored habit Reborn noticed, "Wrong place, wrong time. The owner found out his other cleaning person OD'ed on something and needed a new one, I was running through an ally trying to take a shortcut home. He offered me a good paying job at hours I could take and I needed the money." glancing at his watch Tsuna continued "Now, if you'll excuse me I need to get moving before I get beat up by Hibari" and the boy set the toddler down before breaking into a sprint that Usain Bolt would envy. Reborn cautiously looked as the sprinting boy received a hard whack on the collar with a tonfa-his face didn't change, he didn't seem to register the hit at all but he spoke softly to a sharp-eyed man that 'hmmm'ed and set him on his way.

Absently the boy rubbed his shoulder before walking to a class where he was ridiculed and ignored in turns. Reborn observed from a near-by tree and quietly wrote things down on a pad of paper as he grasped the brutal silence and tyrannical harshness that his charge's classmates put him through. The only two that didn't torment him were Yamamoto Takeshi and Sasagawa Kyoko, both of which were school idols so it was impossible to know if it was a form of pity or their own form of bullying. Hana quietly stayed out of the way, she seemed to regard everyone but Kyoko as an idiot. The only reaction Tsuna ever gave was a nod or shake of the head and stare at the board. Even the teacher picked on him relentlessly, yet again, never did he react. Reborn would have applauded him for his level headedness if he wasn't about to rip people to shreds, his tiny fist bleeding from clenching so hard.

As the final bell rang Tsuna slipped out quickly and headed to his first job- the lawyer's assistant, periods of work were punctuated by silence that he studied in. That ended and he rushed to the nice part of town to his second job where it was much the same albeit the nature of the work was very different, long stretches of silence between moments of activity.

By the time he got home and cooked for himself it was already the new day and he fell onto his rickety bed for a few hours respite before starting over again.

That morning Reborn sat next to him sipping his favorite beverage "Tsuna, I'll move in here" he ordered, expecting an argument.

"If it makes you feel better go ahead" the boy shot back as he grabbed the piece of bread and tossed a spare key over his shoulder as he closed the door, the key sailed directly in Reborn's waiting hand. For a moment he stared at the small shard of metal- this was more than literally the key to Tsunayoshi's life. Given to him freely. Obsidian eyes alight with a smile he walked out the back (after locking up) and proceeded to the school.

When he got there it was in time to see something interesting- the captain of the kendo team stared at Tsuna who stood in front of Kyoko "What did you say looser?"

Tsuna's calm voice came quietly "I said don't treat her like an object. She is a person just like you and me…well, less like you"

Reborn scanned the list of names in his hand, 'There, Mochida Kensuke-captain of the kendo club, prospective boyfriend of Sasagawa Kyoko, fourth strongest in the city behind Sasagawa Ryohei, Hibari Kyoya and Yamamoto Tsuyoshi'

Mochida laughed "Fine then, we'll duel for her, it's painfully obvious you have a crush on her and are just trying to make me look bad! Be at the gym after school!" he puffed his chest out and stalked away followed by his kendo club cronies.

Tsuna just pinched the bridge of his nose as the others walked away. Reborn leapt onto his shoulder and took a sip from the ceramic cup "What do you plan on doing?"

Tsuna shrugged "Well, I do have some time today as the law firm is closed-the boss ordered everyone to take a three week vacation. So I guess I'll get my ass handed to me" their eyes met for a moment before the lighter ones looked at the ground and whispered "I-I'd actually rather you not be there. I don't want to loose what little dignity you think I have" the baby hopped down and the student walked to class. The hitman stopped as he heard the part not meant for him "just like my parents"

He turned and called "Tsuna!" the boy turned "I'm going to be there…because I believe you can win" the boy shrugged again and walked to class. Never seeing the sinister smirk on the hitman's face as he flipped and caught an odd bullet like a coin.

* * *

To say the odds were stacked against the almost orphan was an understatement. Mochida had been in kendo for nearly his entire life while Tsuna had no experience in fighting and the only training he had gone through were several jobs requiring lots of manual labor. Reborn overheard how they were stacking the odds even more, he nearly chambered a standard round-but he held back the urge when Tsuna showed up, everyone whispered about how calm he seemed. Reborn saw how scared he was from the look in his eye that he quickly hid.

Mochida smirked as he stepped into the ring "The first one to fall on the ground looses" with that he launched into the boy who was still struggling to put on the armor, the false sword slammed into his unprotected side and Tsuna fell dropped to a knee and coughed harshly. The Leon sniper slammed into the bullet as the second attack connected to Tsuna's body and the twin impact sent him through a wall. Mochida looked down at his hand in shock before he smirked and hollered "And I think that's my win!"

A chilled voice came from the wreckage "Not quite." Tsuna stepped out, down to his boxers-but no one noticed. They shrank back from the cold aura pushing down on them, Reborn felt the external limiters being released but he wasn't acting normally…well, he wasn't screaming. But the assassin was quickly reassured when his charge rushed forward with white eyes and kicked the captain in the chest hard enough to drive the air from his lungs and drove him to his hands and knees. The deathly calm man who wasn't calm at all planted a foot on the bastard's back before pushing, soon joints buckled before they failed and Tsuna looked at the judge who timidly raised his flag before he walked out and the fire died out.

* * *

When Tsuna got home to a cooked meal he smiled and thanked Reborn, who was shocked by the slight twitch of the lips that passed for the expression of joy- he would have called it a cruel mockery if he didn't know how truly and utterly miserable his life had been until that point.

With a start he realized that this was probably the biggest kindness anyone had shown him since birth. With rage he realized that neither Nana, nor Iemitsu gave him any kindness of their own. Tsuna patted Reborn's head once but stopped "…Sorry, I know you're not a kid" he handed Reborn back the spent bullet "Okay, explain what happened in the arena. I know you did something. I don't know what…but thanks"

The toddler looked at the bullet on the table before turning to his student "…I was sent here by the Ninth leader of the Vongola to train you to be the eleventh, your mother is the tenth. We were all under the impression you were much older when Nana left for Italia. If you accept my training and answer my next question I will tell you what I did to you"

With the twin favorite actions, a sigh and a shrug, he nodded "I don't know if we'll have time for your training…what's your question?"

"Do you want the affections of Kyoko?"

"No"

"Then why did you step forward like you did?"

"First of all that's two questions, but I really hate Mochida, he's an arrogant bully who thinks the world is for his enjoyment." Tsuna sat down said his thanks and started eating the pasta Reborn made for him.

When Tsuna went to sleep Reborn held the lizard-turned-phone to his ear.

* * *

Tsuna was pleasantly surprised to learn that Reborn could-and did- help him study, the test seemed much easier than they had before. Reborn watched from one of his 47 hiding places around the room, pleased that Tsuna's answers would earn him a solid 95 and that he had gotten them done so quickly. But he silently willed his student to pick up the pencil and start drawing, he truly believed that watching what somebody drew and how they drew it offered a glimpse into their minds. The lines slowly morphed into a dark drawing-beautiful in a terrifying way.

An old man dressed in Norse battle armor sat on his throne, in his scarred hands he held a long spear, too long for any lesser being, and on his shoulders sat two ravens looking into the distance. The entire image was bathed in the shadows of a dark night veiled by a the cover of a tree. The blood dripping from the spear onto Odin's face cast the blank look into a level of Hell that few had ever seen and even fewer could portray. Another piece of paper covered the sketch before another now that same man was held against a tree. Above the roots. Pierced. His weapon now turned against him, through him his shoulder bleeding from the deep wound, as he gained the knowledge of the World Tree.

Reborn could only stare in confusion. Odin, since when would a Japanese boy with no free time know about the King of the Norse Gods? When the bell rang out he hopped on his charge's shoulder and asked just that. "He's the greatest god of War. My life is a war. So he should be my patron god, right?" Reborn had no answer to that.

He almost felt bad for calling the first assassin.


	2. Chapter 2

_Almost._

Reborn nodded "Makes sense…but how did you even find out about Norse gods?"

"Two years ago, school project" was the answer he received.

Reborn felt the gaze of many people on him, not surprising as he did jump on the boy's shoulder as he exited the building with many onlookers. The assassin rolled his shoulders "I've spoken with the Ninth, he and I agree that you should stop your second job, it's…well, it's not what you should be doing right now"

For a moment a killer intent blasted through his infant body and he wondered if he could have taken the monster that erupted in his true form before he realized that it came from the boy. "If my _parents_" he spat "have anything to do with me I will completely ignore them. And god only know what I'd do to them if I saw them" he hissed as he continued. He walked back to the house before he continued "Besides, if I quit that job I won't have the money I need for food"

This stopped Reborn in his tracks, was this boy so bad off that two jobs only put food on the table? Reborn was silent until the boy went out for his second job, only when he was sure the boy wouldn't be back until his shift ended did he ask his pet to change into a phone.

* * *

The next day brought the assassin Gokudera Hayato. 'A rich brat with a bad attitude' Tsuna muttered as the boy walked over to kick his desk. They assassin walked on by leaving the other boy to grab his things as class continued. At the break Tsuna stepped outside, trying to avoid the glare that had followed him since that morning.

For some reason the new kid hated him. But life seemed to hate him just as much.

As he stepped out the smoker followed him "You! Sawada!" he turned, unsurprised by whom it was.

Hayato stalked over before looming over the apathetic boy who looked on calmly before greeting "What do you want?"

Apparently this was not the right answer. The white haired boy got angry and growled "No way in Hell am I letting a brat like this ruin the Famiglia!"

Reborn suddenly appeared on a window ledge "Smoking bomb, Hurricane bomb, endless bomb…too many names with bomb in them. Gokudera Hayato, free lance assassin"

The heir wasn't surprised "I thought he'd be someone in your profession"

Reborn smirked "Why'd you think that?"

"He smells like gun powder and fire. The cigarettes don't hid that…or the smell of blood and destruction" both assassins simply didn't know what to say for a long moment.

The younger assassin turned to the elder "Is it true that if I kill this midget I'll be the boss?"

"That's what I said" was the reply and he reached into his pocket to pull out a thin red cylinder with a fuse on it. As he brought it to the burning paper in his mouth he heard a sizzle but it wasn't the crackle of the fuse.

He looked at the end and saw blood. Between the bomb and his mouth was the bleeding burning hand of apathetic eyes. Slightly hooded they radiated nothing but discontent…not anger or sadness, just something wasn't to his liking like someone forgot to put salt on his food. Even Reborn was surprised at the disregard for pain. "Do you know what it means to kill someone?"

The bomber scoffed "It means I'll walk away and you won't" he tried to light the fuse again but the blood had put out the ember.

"No. It means that you have to live in my stead. Could you live a life where not only your happiness was assured but of each and every person you've killed. It means that your life now has the weight of all those you've stolen life from. Do you have any inkling of how many lives your soul has to carry?" the bomber paused for a moment "…but whether I live or die is inconsequential, if you think you have the ability to keep from being crushed under my soul go ahead. Take my life. Steal it away."

Hayato fell to his knees. This boy-_man_ in front of him was something that wasn't found here on earth. The moment he had said those words it felt like every stolen breath fell on his shoulder. From his knees he placed his hands on the ground and bowed his head "Forgive me! I-I just wanted to test the next head!"

Tsuna laughed, it wasn't a happy laugh but it was more pleasant than any other either Reborn or Hayato had heard before "I don't care about the Vongola. It ruined my life, my mother and father abandoned me for it. At this point I don't know if I want to destroy it or just ignore it"

The bomb slowly looked at the boy before him "No matter what you do I'll follow you!"

This led to an argument that Tsuna quickly decided didn't matter enough. But something did "Do you have a place to sleep?"

"What?" the assassin asked.

"You're shirt is crumpled like it wasn't hung up, looks like it just came out of a suitcase, and if you're going to be here for any length of time you might as well have a place you can be comfortable in"

Soon the bomb had a key to the home of the destitute prince. Tsuna was laying out the ground rules as they walked back, many were simple like keep the house clean but others weren't "I expect to be able to sleep. I've told you when I work. I'm not expecting you to put too much money in but I can't afford to have another mouth without money"

The newcomer nodded "Don't worry, I've got enough money for a long time…but I can't help but wonder. All this time I've haven't heard you talk about your parents…" the vicious glare he got quickly ended that line of questioning. But the fedora wearing baby hopped on his shoulder and told him as the other boy quickly walked on ahead. A glimmer of light appeared in the assassins' eyes as they thought of a plan together.

* * *

That Saturday had Tsuna still off from the lawyer's office, so he was busy working around the house fixing things, at the moment it was the door to his room that didn't stay shut. As he sat on the floor with screwdriver in hand he studied the hinges, the pin seemed to have scrapes so that when attempting to close the brackets ended up on top of one another rather than underneath. With a sigh he started forcing the pin out as Reborn and Hayato walked in, the latter starting "Boss, I hate to interrupt…but why don't you change the Vongola?"

The effect was instantaneous, the screwdriver was dropped and his head whipped around so fast the assassins were afraid he broke something for a moment his eyes were wide like they had just suggested that he kill the old lady across the street. But after seeing their serious faces he shook his head and went back to work as Reborn repeated "Become the next boss and change it"

"Why would I do that? Why not just destroy it and keep it from doing what it did to me from ever happening again?"

The Arcobaleno nodded to the side and the white haired boy nodded and left. The Sun jumped onto the boy's bed "Tsunayoshi Sawada, this isn't something that is one famiglia alone. The Vongola is the largest of all mafia organizations, one of the oldest and the most powerful. Yet they keep the underworld from spilling out into this one. If the Vongola falls we can expect another Dark age."

The boy looked up and shrugged "I can do without electricity"

The tutor blinked "But would you be fine with thousands of people dying?"

"Thousands of people abuse me weekly, what do I care?"

"If you become the next Vongola you could have fame, money, power…people would fall by your feet just to speak with you" he sent out-testing the waters.

"Fame means nothing, money's just means to an end, power drives people insane, they wouldn't do it for me. Those type of people only do what they do for themselves. I want no part of that world"

"Don't you at least want to know why they abandoned you?"

Again the owner set down the tools but this time he turned to face the baby "No. I'd rather them have taken me into that world than leave me alone so they wouldn't have to deal with a child they didn't want. And if I ever met them I would try my damnedest to make them regret it" those words held something Reborn had been trying to get out of the boy since he arrived. Conviction. Force of will.

"…What if I could tell you that if you took over the Vongola I could make it to where you would have a family that loved you for you?" the hurt, lost look that came over the boy's eyes stung the assassin. Nobody he had ever met was that starved for love. Even the orphans in the streets of Italy, Germany, and less developed countries weren't this starved. Here, in this home, this boy knew the darkness of human nature. His parents had abandoned him, each day the love of everyone else was thrown in his face like a insult.

No matter what played out in the boy's eyes the rest of his face gave nothing way nor did his voice "If you could promise that it would be quite the pull" was all he said before he drove the pin back in and walked away.

* * *

Several hours later when the conversation was far behind them Reborn again found Tsuna repairing something, this time a small faucet that only put out hot water. Very hot water. The tiny terror spoke quietly as to not startle the boy who had his entire upper body shoved under the tiny cabinets "You've done well getting another member of your famiglia, but one person does not a family make"

"Like I said I'm not looking for a famiglia. Right now I'm just trying to survive. For someone like me life is hard. I told you that when you first got here." the sounds of various metal parts moving and clattering caught his attention.

The Tutor smirked and lowered his fedora slightly "But everyone needs people that stick with them through thick and thin-"

"Bullshit. Both you and I know it and I've lived that way. Don't preach to me when you and I both know otherwise."

Reborn nodded even though he knew Tsuna couldn't see it "Alright, you have a point…but don't you want friends?"

To that the only answer he received was silence until the clanking of metal resumed.

* * *

Most of that week passed peacefully, but on Thursday things changed. the PE class was a team sport and as always Tsuna was the last one. Neither team wanted him and Hayato was away making the final changes to his files at the office. Yamamoto Takeshi slung an arm over him "Why don't you come with us? We'll win the game for sure!" the team grumbled but didn't even try to block his decision-he was after all, the sports king of the school.

But they did lose. Not much of it was Tsuna's fault but they ordered him to clean the field as if it was. With a shrug he started until Yamamoto walked out with a broom "Hey, did those guys leave you to do this alone?" the other boy nodded as if it was no concern-and to him it wasn't. he wasn't expected at the firm and he knew Hayato was at home and that Reborn was watching from somewhere. The stillness didn't last long "I guess you're getting better…everyone's talking about how you suddenly got really great at sports and grades…I want to ask you what to do…I only play baseball well and lately that hasn't been going so good" he trailed off with a serious look on his face.

Tsuna glanced over before continuing sweeping "What? Do you think I have advice? That I'd just give out some magic words? Words don't _do_ anything, that's why they aren't actions. If you want to change _act_ on it"

The star smiled before grabbing Tsuna's shoulders "Huh, I never thought about it that way! Guess you're right! I'm gonna go practice!" and he bounded off leaving Tsuna to clean…alone.

Only for a moment as the gun-totting baby fell from the sky onto his shoulder "Quite the interesting little speech you gave. So Yamamoto Takeshi. Make him part of your Famiglia"

"Like I said Reborn, I don't want a famiglia. And I'm not going to argue with you again." the assassin nodded before wandering around to find even more hiding places on the field.

* * *

As Tsuna wandered his way to school he wondered where exactly Hayato had disappeared to. He found a note the previous evening saying the bomber would be gone over the weekend. But his mind was dragged away the instant he sat down in his chair. One of the boys that he never learned the name of busted in shouting "Yamamoto's about to jump!" after some more babbling it was uncovered that the boy had broken his arm practicing the night before. For the first time in his life Tsuna could have laughed at the irony that twisted his gut, just days ago he forced a man not to kill with his words. Here they would kill someone.

The other students swarmed out save Kyoko and Tsuna, the former turned to him "Are you coming?"

He stood and followed the girl out. The roof was crowded with students and he heard Reborn's voice from behind him "I take it you'll try to fix this?"

He scoffed "Of course, if I make a mess I always clean it up"

Tsuna pushed past the others and stopped in the empty area between the crowd and the fence that stood before the ledge, the one where Yamamoto now waited. He muttered "Vultures."

He heard the other boy say something about being thrown away by the baseball gods before he stepped forward "What the hell are you doing?" he asked nonchalantly.

"I'm going to jump and end it all. I've been betrayed…of course you wouldn't know about that would you Tsuna, rising up so quickly"

The smaller boy rushed forward and grabbed the taller boy's collar and slamming their foreheads together and hissing "_Don't you dare patronize me like that again or I'll push you off myself!_"

The baseball fan recoiled at the demonic visage before gathering himself "Patronize you about what? Words and actions?" he replied, sarcasm lilting his voice.

Tsuna growled and Yamamoto tried to pull back only to have his aggressor pull him back harder before snarling quietly "Words are the foundation for actions. Think about this one, if you die here and now you will have put your soul on your father's shoulders" the taller hunched slightly "You'd have left him alone. I said that if you wanted to change act on it and this is what you do? Fucking idiot. You have somebody. I don't. Now if you ever try this again I. Will. Kill. You. Understand?"

The scared boy nodded before he was released. He reached out blindly "Tsuna, what did you mean by you don't have anybo-" he was cut off as his unexpected tug sent the smaller boy off balance and into the rusted fence that gave way sending both of them falling.

Time seemed to slow for Tsuna. The air around him whistled and the screams from those above lasted forever. He saw Reborn aiming at him with a smirk on his face. Blood blossomed from his head and he saw the suicide-now-killer's eyes widen as searing pain rushed through the Dying Will flames. In the air he pulled Yamamoto into his chest as both feet left deep gouges in the walls and one hand tore deeply into the bricks.

When they fell Takeshi looked up and those above them sighed in relief. He had managed to fall into the bushes with Tsuna who he got up to look for. An infant was dragging the uniform of said boy behind a building when he saw Tsuna. All the boy's extremities were bleeding violently and he himself looked pale as more and more pooled. Cradling his arms and legs close he couldn't even see the boy he just saved.

He didn't know what happened after that simply because he fainted. Next thing he knew he and Tsuna were in the nurse's office and the only other person around was the baby that Tsuna was talking to. He caught the end, something about a bullet, external limiters and clothes being forced away, but that was all before the baby disappeared though an air vent and Tsuna noticed that his companion was awake.

It was a tense silence as Tsuna's brown orbs glared through Takeshi's skull who laughed nervously "W-What did you mean when you said you don't have anybody?"

"My parents left me when I was five, they set it up so that I had no legal guardian and sent me only pennies to survive. I work two jobs to keep myself from starving. Nobody cares if I live or die. You on the other hand should watch it. Your dad has already lost much." another silence descended on them until Tsuna continued "…Words are thoughts in form and thoughts beget actions. Words start change without changing…that makes them more powerful than almost anything else. But alone words can't kill someone"

Takeshi pulled his legs up to his chest and waited for his dad to come and get him. But even then they stayed at the school at his pleading. He wanted to see who Tsuna waited for.

But the boy was forced to sneak out when the nurse stepped out for a moment.


	3. Chapter 3

To everyone reading this I'd like to thank you. Each and every one of you have helped make this my most successful story. As of 8:58 pm on august 27 this story has 26 reviews, 74 favs and 108 follows. Again thank you to each and every one of you.

* * *

Tsuna would never admit it but he had the same dream for years now, not every night but a few times a month it would come.

He was cradled in an inferno, one that pushed others away as it drew him deeper. The peace he felt was the only thing that stopped him from killing himself so many times… very slowly it seemed to spread around him and everywhere it touched he could be free, not having to worry about money or jobs, or homework, or teachers, or strangers, or pain. Just him.

But as always he would wake up, this time from the pulsing agony from his arms and legs. He pushed himself up only to be met with "Are you feeling okay? The school's canceled class since you managed to hit the gas pipes for the entire building" and a plate of waffles were set in front of him by the diminutive terror.

"Thanks Reborn, a bit better. Thanks for cooking" carefully he picked up the fork only to hiss in pain as the muscles howled in protest, but after his outburst he continued as if nothing had happened.

The assassin put his suite jacket on and looked over to the boy "Why did you save him? Is it because you care?"

"No, to be honest I didn't- and don't- care if he jumps, my only concern is that the words I said were interpreted wrongly. Now that it's fixed I won't stop him from trying again."

Reborn nodded and snatched the plate away from Tsuna who tried to stand to wash the dish. The injured boy sat on his bed before he jumped up when a explosion rocked the house.

* * *

Reborn had been scrubbing the plate when a grenade flew through the window and on reflex he smacked it back to whoever threw it…and he realized what exactly was going to happen when the killing intent spiked from the bedroom "Aw damn" he hissed as a crying boy was heard from just under the window sill.

"**Who. The. Hell. Is. Fucking. With. My. Hard. WORK.**" the door opened to the owner's room and he walked out radiating discontent and one hand lashed out from the window and gripped the boy by the top of the head and pulled him into the house onto the floor.

The assassin recognized him instantly as a member of the Bovino famiglia. The boy was dressed in black slacks with matching tennis shoes and a white undershirt sitting underneath a cow print jacket, they boy's black hair was short and shaggy and got constantly in the way of his bright green eyes. Right now the boy was sniffling "Tol…er…ate" before he started bawling.

Tsuna turned to his tutor "Do you know who this is?"

Reborn gave a 'sort of' gesture "He's a member of the Bovino famiglia, a small time family but they have an arsenal that could rival your future one" he gave a sly glance.

The wounded boy shook his head with a sigh "Brat, what's your name? why are you here?"

The sniffling boy cried harder when the hand tightened at his silence but sobbed out "Lambo is Lambo! I-I'm here to kill Reborn a-and take the name as the best assassin!"

He was suddenly drawn straight into eyes that wanted to shred him into dust "If you EVER do ANYTHING that could destroy this house I will rip off your arms and beat you to death with them. Clear?" The frightened boy nodded with tears in his eyes and crying for a half an hour suspended by the arm until his tears faded into sleep. With a sigh the elder boy took the sleeping cow to his room and tucked him in.

When he closed the door the hitman asked "If he pissed you off so much why'd you put him in your room?"

"He's here to prove himself to somebody. Given that choice even two years ago I'd be neck deep in it without a second though. It's better to keep him from going too far" and the bandages rustled as they were moved.

And thus Lambo was brought into the house…and more importantly the ten year old was the first one to drive the tiniest wedge into the hardened armor that the heir wore.

* * *

The week passed peacefully with the exception that Gokudera and Yamamoto began to eat lunch with Tsuna, none of them cared enough about the social repercussions to give it much thought but there were subtle words that didn't evade the hitman's ears, bribery, blackmail and other. For a man who knew that his charge would be leaving Italy within three years it simply didn't warrant that much thought.

That Saturday did.

It started early when the door rang. A man in a neon green and blue pin striped suit showed up and requested to speak with Tsuna. Soon the boy and the man were in the living room while the other hid behind a door trying to listen in on what was happening.

They leapt at a loud bang, only to see something they never would have expected. Tsuna's fist on the table. The man in the suit rushed by "You guys might want to watch it. His temper can be really bad…and we all just got laid off…" he quickly scampered out leaving the others to deal with an upset Tsuna.

The assassin started "What happened?" Lambo watched on wringing his hands as Gokudera stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"The law firm closed. The two lawyers were convicted of embezzlement and fraud of every client…_damn it_" he hissed before he shot up and grabbed his things "I'm going for a walk" the door closed before anyone could offer any protest.

Reborn blinked, Tsuna, a temper? _Tsunayoshi Sawada,_ the man who took the blatant hate of everyone in the school had a _temper_? What did they do to pull that out? They only waited a few minutes before the boy returned with another man and the same positions were taken.

But this time the bang was louder and the man quickly left, nothing of him was noticed as he rushed out.

Tsuna's quivering form was more than enough to occupy their attention. He slowly pulled out an envelope and tossed it on the rickety wooden table in front of him and dropped his head into his hands. Reborn looked at Lambo who was in a state of shock and glanced at Hayato who muttered "Eleventh…" before he hopped up on the table and opened it to find a few dollars.

Before any of them could question the letter in front of them he spoke in something between a groan and a sob "That's all the money we can rely on. My two jobs are…not there for me. I-I'm sorry guys, I don't know what to do…"

The two youngest were suddenly stupefied and the tutor just thought. He calculated every move he could make and one stood out "What would you do if I told your parents about this? What if they sent more money?"

The brown eyes met his own obsidian orbs "First of all they won't do anything. The left me here to rot for ten years just because they didn't want me. For a moment, I'll pretend that they did send the money, if they're as rich as you say they are then it wouldn't be a drop in the bucket for them, I wouldn't take it. I won't stoop as far as to take their filthy money even if I have to die."

Very slowly, so that his charge could see his every movement he pulled out his wallet and dropped several thousand dollars on the table. Both Hayato and Lambo felt their eyes widen, but Tsuna only let his gaze move from the bills to his tutor again "I'll pay for everything. And you can't say no, I can and will go behind your back to do this. Trust me, I have enough money to buy mansion after mansion if the whimsy struck me."

The owner closed his eyes tightly "I can't accept tha-"

"**YOU DON'T HAVE A CHOICE!" **the infant bellowed "I'm telling you right now that I will take this responsibility, not because you've been through hell and back, not because I feel that you've deserve to have good things happen to you, not even because I feel sick knowing that I unwittingly allowed those two to have a child near starvation that they hid from us for fifteen years. I'm doing it because if I'm going to make you great I need your time, something that we couldn't have since you had to work two jobs."

For a long moment the pained gaze of an adult met the steel of an infant. The adult whispered "Okay. What do I have to do in return. I won't take this for free."

The infant smirked "I wouldn't give it for free. School will still come first. But I need you to study like you mean it. After that I may have you work on the house a bit, a future Don should live in only the best"

The fifteen year old only shook his head and dropped it back into his hands, he wasn't going to be a don, but he muttered "What have I gotten myself into?"

The other two just patted him on the back trying to put all their sympathy into it.

* * *

The teacher sat on her desk "Okay, today I want you to write the prompt 'Man's greatest _ is his _' it can be anything but anything not school appropriate will be failed. Take your time, explain things. I want this to be turned in by the end of class and I really want it to be more than a page. I'll even take this as a test grade if you guys want."

Reborn hid in spot #37 and looked at the various people of note. Hana Kurokawa's was 'Man's greatest annoyance is man'

Kyoko jotted down 'greatest invention is cake'

'greatest sport is baseball' came from everyone thought it would as did 'greatest pride is his boss'

The pencil sat idle in Sawada's hand for only a few moments before it came to him 'a man's greatest tragedy is his circumstance' no matter what argument could be made against it he seemed to counter, money, employment, wants, greed all those and more were defined and made into circumstance and wove into four pages by the time the bell rang.

As promised the three passed the gate the baseball star took off, practice was starting in five and the bomber jetted off saying he needed more ingredients…the other two would rather not know. Tsuna walked out the gates as he would have any other day, but the heat was more stifling than most day and he absentmindedly sighed "What I would give for a drink…" and the chime of a bike bell came from behind, he took a quick look as well as a step to the side, it was a young woman wearing a helmet and goggles, jeans and a sleeveless top, but what stood out the most to him was the scorpion tattooed on her shoulder and her long pink hair. She smiled as she pulled off the protective gear "I've got a soda if you want it" without waiting for him she tossed the can and rode off.

Tsuna, so unused to kindness, physically froze and watched as the can bounced off his head and fell to the pavement with a dull thunk. The crows overhead fell dead and he recoiled "What the hell?" he muttered before shaking his head and continuing the walk home.

He found Reborn sitting on the couch sipping an espresso talking to a beetle of some sort. He only blinked as the bug flew off "So, any news from your…friend?"

"Yes actually. Bianchi's in town. She's another assassin" their conversation was cut off as a knock on the door was heard and the owner opened the ancient plank of wood to see the woman from earlier.

In her hands this time was a pizza that she quickly opened after she put on a gas mask. The gray fumes that seeped off the doughy circle burned his eyes and lungs. He fell to the ground as the putrid concoction was blasted from her hands, the hitman greeted "Hello Bianchi"

She tearfully scooped him up "Reborn…come back with me, let's go do another job…"

Reborn shook his head "I can't. I have a job to make him the next successor."

She shed a tear "S-so you won't come back with me unless he's dead?" the tiny killer nodded and she staggered off muttering about how best to poison the boy.

That night Reborn explained the woman to him, her ability and her…fanatical obsession with him. "So if she kills me, the final heir to Vongola she'll get you back…well, if she does kill me you know who to thank" and the boy stood before sauntering carelessly to his room to sleep off the rest of the effects of the gas.

* * *

That morning he walked into the kitchen to see Reborn sitting on the table talking to the woman after his life he blinked before walking to the decrepit table and sitting down. The baby smiled at him "I was thinking of asking her to tutor you"

The smitten assassin sighed happily "Anything for you Reborn…"

Tsuna sighed and rubbed his neck at the sheer…he didn't know what of it all. Thankfully he stopped trying to figure it out when the door bell rang. Hayato appeared and noticed the redness of his boss's eyes that the gas had caused the day before "Who did this to you?" he demanded.

The shorter boy looked into the kitchen and watched as the boy stomped into the room to 'deal' with the problem. The sound of steps grew dim before rushing back full force as the boy blasted past him to gag outside. The leader stepped out "Did she get you too?"

As Hayato held back horking all over the grass he gagged and gasped out "Nah *humph* my sister's always had *gasp* this effect on me"

"Sister?" soon the tale of poison cookies and priceless piano recitals was in Tsuna's head and he wished the sheer idiocracy of it all would leave. He blinked again at the boy and shook his head "I guess this is what I can expect for the rest of my life…"

Bianchi and Hayato left…or rather the former drug the latter out of the house to spend time together while the latter stole Lambo so that he wouldn't suffer alone.

It was a moment of peace in the house as tutor and student quietly enjoyed the crisp air the small town had on the small outdoor patio the house had. Reborn sat in a small yukata and fanned his face in spite of the gentle breeze and moderate weather while the other sat on the wood and allowed his feet to fun through the grass as he worked on homework.

The hitman would occasionally ask if the other needed help or just glance over at the paper, he would have a headshake in response until the paper was done and for the first time since he could remember Tsunayoshi Sawada had a moment of space.

He felt…

Lost.

He looked down at his hands and suddenly wondered what people did with time that wasn't devoted to something. Homework done and he couldn't work on the house until the next Thursday when the supplies to the local shop came in and maybe longer if the other occupants decided he wasn't well enough. "Reborn"

The tutor twitched at the sudden sound after hours of quiet "Yes?"

"What do you do in your free time?"

The obsidian eyed baby blinked, a rare phenomenon "Free time isn't as rare as you think. Many people have a lot of time dedicated to nothing."

The boy whispered "For as long as I can remember every moment that hasn't been work has been spent asleep. But now I can't sleep in the middle of the day and I find myself…bored"

Pulling out a grape candy he stole from the Bovino's stash the assassin popped it in his mouth and sucked on it as he thought "I usually read or play chess" the Vongola turned to the future don as the boy stared out "I'll teach you how to play. If I don't I'll get rusty" he ordered with a smirk that would have his former student trembling in terror.

From somewhere the tiny killer produced a board and after the rules were explained the gentle clack of the pieces being set on the board were the loudest thing accompanied by the soft chimes that hung from the rafter.

Somewhere into the third game Reborn broke the silence "I am sorry" bishop takes rook.

"Why?" pawn forward.

"Because we didn't know" rook takes pawn, check.

"If you didn't know there was nothing you could do about it" queen takes rook.

"Somewhere along the way we forgot that they weren't the perfect people we wished they were" knight takes queen.

"Perfect people don't exist, it's a fools paradise to believe that they do" pawn takes knight.

"That's true, but that still doesn't make up for the years of neglect" knight back. "I know you said you hate your parents, you have every right too, but if you saw them again what would you do?…checkmate"

The boy stared at the board again, the black and white squares were something he was learning to…enjoy "First, let's not call them parents anymore. Parents care for their children. If I saw those two again I really don't know what I'd do…but it would take a monumental force of will for me to hold back trying to repay their every moment of betrayal and hate"

The boy stood to go cook dinner, the crack of his shoulders a quiet wrinkle in the moment. The not-baby stared at the king and queen, unmoved from their position. With a flick they rolled on the squares, white-black, white-black, "Tsunayoshi Sawada…checkmate" but the game was long forgotten.


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry if the first part feel rushed, I really don't like Haru's entrance, Haru herself is okay but this particular part was a bit…more comical than I feel should be in this story. But I suppose it is the best way to ensure her character stays the same…hopefully…for the most part. And I apologize having all these entrances at once, I'm trying to go along with the story line of the manga and it has all these entrances back to back.**

* * *

The day started out in possibly the worst way possible from a sanity preserving stand point. Classes had finally started up again and Reborn had permitted Tsuna to go back, against Lambo and Hayato's protests. Reborn walked on the high wall that lined the houses when a girl balancing horribly nearly fell before panting "M-my name is Mina H-Haru…would you be my friend?"

The hitman shrugged "Sure" and the girl toppled only to catch herself and scream in joy. Tsuna could already feel the imminent headache that this girl would bring. Suddenly Mina Haru blushed "I know this is sudden b-but can I hug you?" she was squeezing her arms against her chest and twisting violently.

Reborn didn't even flinch "Not so fast. I don't trust people I don't know…comes with being an assassin"

The boy rolled his eyes "Don't tell people you just met-" his face stung and he was facing away from the scene.

The girl glared "What sort of bastard teaches a baby to kill somebody!?" she ranted on for a minute about pure hearts and babies from heaven. Fortunately or unfortunately (depending on how you want to look at it) most of this was blown past him as her slaps resounding smacks blocked out a vast majority of her words.

When she insinuated a familial relationship he twitched "I'm not related to him" how she thought there was a resemblance she couldn't tell. He glanced at the tutor who looked on with an…entertained smirk before taking a sip of his espresso.

"Y-You're teaching that to someone else's baby?" she screeched. He couldn't help wincing at the volume.

He was busy rubbing his stinging cheeks to hear what Reborn told her, apparently throwing oil on the fire, when she declared that she would take him but the stinging was replaced by a dull thunk that rattled him for a moment. She stormed off after the punch and Tsuna squeezed his eyes for a moment before turning to the baby "What would I have to do to get you to either get rid of her or shoot me with a real bullet?" the baby smirked again before continuing his walk. Exhaling his annoyance the boy shook his head and followed.

* * *

Bianchi came home late with a large smile on her face "I met the most interesting girl this evening!" at her description the throbbing pain in the boss's head proved too much.

He quickly tossed down a dose of painkillers before turning to Reborn "This is going to suck isn't it?" the baby wisely said nothing as the boy went to bed.

As he trudged back from the school he lamented the sudden heat wave before a metallic shuffling stopped in front of him and the girl from before stood in front of him "Good morning" he blankly looked on. There was something very wrong with this girl. She went on "Hmph! Hahi, so rude! But I'll admit that you haven't done anything if you're strong! That would mean that Reborn and that nice lady didn't lie and he is training you to be a Mafia boss!" in her combination of armor and…things she lunged at him with a hockey stick and with a jolt he staggered out of the way.

To the universes infinite misfortune the bomber had been taking a different route in order to pick up a package, thus he only saw some psycho swinging a stick at his boss. Whatever they were saying was lost when four red sticks landed around them before detonating and throwing the boy to the other side of the bridge and the woman into the river.

Slowly the boy stood and the bomber smiled "You're safe now!"

The 'protected' boy groaned "Great, now she's drowning" the bomber let out a 'huh?' before Reborn smirked at him. The glint in his eyes told Tsuna what was going to happen "No, she brought this on herself. Will I feel bad if she dies? Maybe, bu-" and that's as far as he got when the bullet seared through his brain and he found himself jumping through the air to get her. The look on his face was one only of irritation, quickly and without a word he dragged her to the shore.

As Hayato berated her the boy slowly put on his clothes, grateful that they were dry when the girl shot up along with Tsuna's blood pressure "Hahi! So cool! You jumped in to save me!"

Tsuna groaned and looked to the heavens "Why do you hate me?"

"Haru's fallen for Tsuna!" she screeched and his eye twitched as the cigarette the silver had been holding in his lips fell and went out with a sizzle. She giggled "Hug me!"

A throbbing vein in her target's head appeared "I should have let you drown" as one hand on top of the girls head blocked her rush he turned to Reborn "I blame you"

The not-baby shrugged "I'm fine with that" with that infinitely irritating tone that suggested that everything was just a game going to plan for him.

* * *

As he walked out of the school the next day the dull ache that followed him since he dragged the girl out of the river suddenly clenched his forearm in a spasm. Looking at the appendage he saw a black skull appear. Some part of his body realized that this was _wrong_ and he rushed to see the only person he knew of that would help him.

His body was now trying to reject it, but the skin cannot be forced away by the stomach and his guts clenched and roiled against him. He barely managed to open the door and grip the frame, his body pale and voice and face twisted "R-Reborn what's happening to me?"

The baby glanced at his arm "I thought so. This is Skull Disease. It happens when the body's limiters are removed too much. Three shots usually and the body starts to break down from the force."

The boy's tight voice wasn't there to be heard by the baby "Great, I survive all this time from those people and suddenly the one guy I thought might help me fucking kills me"

"I thought you might need the boo-" the hitman was cut off by the hand on his throat and he blinked in rapid succession.

The boy was holding him to the wall. The _boy_ "Tell me why you did this too me?" it was almost a sob.

"It's just a backlash. We can cure it" he replied in a croak, astonished by the force and the backbone his student was showing. Bianchi's curses could be heard and the baby pulled back the boy's fingers "and the man who can fix it should be here"

Sitting at the entrance to the living room was someone with poison cooking covering their face, the poison expert shuddered and rubbed her hands "That's probably the most deserving kill of the decade" she muttered before the 'body' stood up and peeled a cloth from his face.

Leaping to kiss the girl on her cheek the man let out a "Girls with spunk are the best!" before her leg collided with the back of his head and Tsuna looked to the baby.

"This is Dr. Shamal, he's a world class doctor who can cure almost anything…but he's a bit of a lecher"

"I hadn't noticed" came the boy's droll reply when another spasm of pain swept through his body.

Reborn stepped forward "Shamal. This is Tsuna, the one with Skull Disease"

"Oh…he's a guy? Sorry, I don't like guys" Tsuna couldn't do anything since a tremor from his spine curled him in a ball but the doctor went on "Out of the thousands I've treated none of them were guys. Just how it is, bucko"

Tsuna wasn't where he should have been at the moment. Between the fatalistic part of his mind and the driven part he snapped. His body slumped and he stared at the floor "Damn it" he whispered but each word got a bit louder "God damn it! This wasn't supposed to happen! I was supposed to find them. God damn it" he sobbed. He looked up at the doctor "If you can't fix me fine. Just tell me why the hell I had to live alone and die alone. If you can answer me that I'll just go. Fuck it all" the boy curled back to himself.

The doctor looked at the baby who took a deep breath "This is Nana and Iemitsu's kid…they left him when he was five so they could go to the underworld" Shamal sucked in his breath. This kid was way too young for that sort of thing "I'm going to ask you to fix him." the 'ask' was an order and the doctor's curiosity was peaked, why was Reborn of all people so attached to him?

But what drove him was the sudden influx of guilt. Before him this thin boy had been ruined before he knew what a family was. The first five years were never remembered and this boy had been robbed of a family _by him_.

_He _was the one who told Nana that the Vongola needed her and her husband. He suddenly felt a revulsion pulse through his body

"Fine, I'll fix you" the boy looked up at him and the swirled browns seemed to peer into his soul. Shamal saw how pure they were and suddenly looked at his hands. He wouldn't be clean enough to fix this person. Women hated him and men loathed him. But this boy wasn't in either. He didn't judge the doctor until he did something.

Not even the Tenth did that.

"I have 666 incurable diseases in me at the moment. I'm alive since everyone is balanced out by something. Now Skull Disease won't be cured per say but if I infect you with Angel Disease your homeostasis should be maintained"

The doctor pulled out a capsule that opened before a large mosquito appeared and stabbed it's trident into his flesh. Reborn nodded his thanks "This is the assassin 'Trident Shamal' using these mosquitoes he infects his target with incurable diseases"

The doctor looked at the boy "You should be good now…don't call me again" was his parting but Tsuna could feel the same thing he did when he smelt the blood and gun powder on Hayato. It was a lie.

He didn't smile but he did look at the doctor "Thank you. If you need a place my door is open" the doctor blinked but quickly walked out. Uncharacteristic rain seemed to fall only around his face.

* * *

Shamal stared at the phone. The number was familiar and the ringing had started "Vongola Decima. It's me Shamal, I've met your son."

"Are you going to tell me that you wish you hadn't called ten years ago?" she mused.

The doctor couldn't help but open the locket, the face inside wasn't beautiful but it was the only one that never left his side "No, we needed you but I will say that-" he was cut off.

"Both of us know that this world isn't fit for children!"

"Nana, there is no world fit for children. The only thing we can do is keep them as safe as we can in the world we live in."

The sound of the woman on the other side of the line sitting was evident before she took a breath "Then why did you call me?"

He was almost afraid, not of the woman but the boy who was too pure for this "Your son doesn't have any friends. He believes he's alone. He hates you. He makes me wish I wasn't…who I am. But I have to warn you be very cautious, nobody know what will happen if he sees you or your husband. Not even the boy himself" he ended the call and watched the sun fall over the house that the boy repaired every week. The never ending fight.

The doctor saw his idiot pupil glow at every word his boss said. A person long dead with flowing red hair and fingers worn flawlessly smooth from the ivory keys had said in a twisted compliment _"Like Teacher like Student"_

Staring down at his unclean hands he vowed that this person wouldn't die like her.

* * *

Irie Shoichi had been having a very good day. His sister and mom had gone out shopping leaving him to sleep in and generally laze about like he was prone to do.

Until the knock on his door came. Foolishly he opened it to freeze. This man was probably a good two feet taller than him and looked more like a murderer than delivery man "I'll leave this here" the gruff voice said before the box was shoved into his hands and the man seemed to just disappear when Irie looked at the box and back.

The package was addressed to one Lambo Bovino and he didn't know of anyone with a name like that and he looked at the address. "Seriously? One smeared letter and I've got to go all the way across town…" he moaned and with a sigh the boy called his mom of the trip.

"Okay honey! Just be sure to get home soon, your sister and I are almost back and we're cooking lunch!"

Finally the box was at the right door when a ten year old boy was thrown out the front window with a resounding crash and followed by a yell straight from the underworld **"WHO THE HELL BROKE THE GLASS?!"**

The now standing kid sobbed before reaching into his hair and pulling out something taller than he was. The red head took a moment to stare. A bazooka. From the kid's _hair_. In his comatose state he didn't notice a screaming woman chase after the now young man. But the entire incident ended with an irritated boy with phantom brown eyes and a baby with hellish obsidian orbs.

The baby smirked but the boy stopped as something deep within him ground him to a halt. His eyes hypnotized the other boy "Take those home, you'll need them…" and his face twisted in confusion before he shook his head and continued past Irie.

The box was taken back. His mom asked "Honey? Weren't you going to take that to the owner?"

"I did mom, but he said that I should keep it…" and the box was hidden under his bed and forgotten about.

Forgotten but black fog of emotions it would unleash would pay back the memories in spades.

* * *

Reborn sat at the park with his drink of choice in hand waiting for Shamal, the doctor had wanted to speak with him and soon showed up. His mind so focused he didn't even notice the women around he and he soon took a seat beside the hit man "Thanks for coming out here so suddenly"

Reborn scoffed "Don't lie, we both knew this was coming"

Trident rolled his hands together "Why'd you call me? We both know that there are other doctors able to treat Skull Disease. And more willingly too"

The baby just stared straight ahead "…I've called Talbot" the doctor shot straight up in shock "He's shown a predilection for Hyper Intuition. Even more than Primo, with a glance he knew I wasn't a baby and he only _smelt_ your student before he knew what he was. Talbot's interested in him too." he finally met the other's eyes "He must become Vongola. He's the only candidate"

The doc rubbed his eyes "Okay, but what does this have to do with me?"

"The boy needs people he can depend on"

With a merciless laugh the doctor debased himself "I'm the least dependable person I can think of!"

"You know Hayato better than he even knows himself. The Hurricane bomb that never stops. Tsuna stopped him with words"

Rolling his shoulders the adult scoffed "Okay, so what? I can stop the boy with words"

"…He doesn't trust anybody"

Shamal blinked "But you live with him"

"This boy's views on life and death are more skewed than my own…or even _that man's_"

With a low whistle the elder sucked on his teeth "How did it end up like that?"

The baby rolled his empty cup from one hand to another "The same series of events that lead him to working two jobs at this age…but things don't add up. I need you to go deeper"

Biting his pride back the man scratched his head "Just call if you need a doctor" and he walked off leaving the baby alone.

* * *

Tsuna stared at the black and white in front of him. His hand rested on the tapered crown of the black square-black bishop. Each move was calculated in advance in a war of attrition. Lambo had been reading comics interspersed with the directions of chess quietly beside Tsuna who was playing against Hayato "Tsuna-nii?"

"Hmm?"

"What does attrition mean?"

"It's essentially a stalemate where both sides end up chipping away at each other until somebody either breaks and surrenders, everyone on one side is dead or both sides render themselves unable to fight"

"Then why play a game that makes you think like that?"

"Because Lambo, it's the absolute worst case scenario. The more resources you can save in a war of attrition the better off you are. But if you can stop it from becoming that in the first place you can save yourself"

Hayato moved his piece "What would you rather have Boss? Too many fights end up in a deadlock"

Plucking a pawn from the white graveyard he analyzed the character "I'd rather have a massacre. I don't care what it looks like to those around me as Napoleon said 'If you wage war, do it energetically and with severity. This is the only way to make it shorter and consequently less inhuman'"

The cow child tilted his head, a bit of fright hiding in his eyes "That doesn't make sense…"

The owner looked into the green orbs of the Italian child "If you destroy an army in weeks the war will be over in weeks instead of trying to save as many lives as you can and dragging it out to years." and he opened his mouth to continue before he closed it.

Yamamoto who had overheard the conversation from the porch where he had been talking to Reborn spoke up "There's a 'but' in there"

The joyless boy picked up his king, his fingers ran across the crown "But if anyone was to threaten what I care about I will crush them until they cannot stand and every waking moment is in regret for trying to take what I care about" nobody said anything for a long time after that.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapters 14, 16, 23, 27

Beta and Muse: Lunahras

* * *

The house was taking on a new dimension. Life. Life now took place within the walls rather than the mindless shuffle of the tired boy who would only be there to pass out at regular intervals. At the moment Tsuna was sitting out on the porch letting his feet touch the soft grass with Reborn to his right on Bianchi's shoulder, Hayato was on his left teaching Lambo how to play chess, Takeshi would be over later after baseball practice, all of them enjoying the mild day.

Very slowly he opened the book. This was the first time he had ever opened a book for pleasure rather than an assignment. The feeling was…odd. Almost methodically his hands traced around the edge of the book before he flipped the page. Reborn, who had been quiet the entire time saw the movement and closed his eyes and sighed silently. Nana had the same habit.

He was thrown out of his musings when the sushi maker's son entered the back yard and gave out a friendly "Hey everyone!" he ruffled Lambo's hair affectionately before blinking "Seriously? Chess? In this weather? C'mon kid, I'll teach you to play the greatest sport in the world!"

Hayato shot up "Screw you Baseball idiot! Chess is better than any sport including your stupid baseball! In chess you have to use your brain!"

Tsuna didn't even seem to exist outside of his book so Reborn took the initiative and gave the warning "If you break anything I'm sure Tsuna will have fun taking it out of your hide." and the two teens paled before moving to the far end of the yard for their argument.

As it turned out trying to play catch with Lambo was a very bad idea, when the cow-boy would throw the ball it was instantaneously returned at a speed closer to a bullet than a ball. Later in life Tsuna would say that this day burned into his memories was his first lazy day…the sweet song that let him relax even surrounded by blood.

Unfortunately the next day was a Monday, and his meeting with the brother of Sasagawa. He had just walked past the gate when a hand shot out from beside him and janked him around with enough force to bruise his arm.

Just seeing the boy's face made Tsuna's eyes twitch, something about his assailant reeked of irritation "My name is Sasagawa Ryohei, captain of the boxing team! I saw your match with that kendo guy! Join the boxing team to the **Extreme!"**

The younger boy felt his eyes twitch "If I say no I take it you won't leave me alone?"

"OF COURSE NOT!"

"Then I'll just say go away and leave me alone."

The extreme boy blinked, he wasn't used to the calm 'bug off' from anybody "I have to thank you for saving my sister!"

Already walking away Tsuna fluttered his hand in the air "Don't care."

At that point Kyoko rounded the corner "Onii-chan! What are you doing?" she looked at her brother who was trying to get Tsuna to go to the gym.

With a glint of annoyance and sadism Tsuna turned to the brother while letting the sister see his plight he opened his eyes as wide as he could and tucked his head into his shoulders before pulling his arms tightly around him, tears started to from and his bottom lip started to tremble "P-please stop yelling at me." Reborn blinked at the unexpected …deviousness of it. The boy had a _lethal_ pout and a hidden sadism streak that matched his own.

Kyoko stomped forward and grabbed her brother with a pout of her own "Why are you bugging Tsunayoshi?" as Ryohei tried to explain his intentions the target slipped away.

As the end of the day came around he was forcibly picked up and kidnapped by the man he ditched earlier. The ending spot was, of course, the gym where he was thrown into some boxing gear and into the ring by a few of the lowerclassmen.

* * *

When Lambo called the Bovino famiglia and told them of his plight he was roughly told to get close to the young Vongola, they would send over the transcripts needed for him to enter school and everything else he needed, his mother ended the conversation with her harsh tone "Maybe you can do something right for once…though I doubt it."

The boy felt tears in his eyes, his parents weren't kind to him. To them he was just a burden and was handed off to a maid the day he was born. All his antics had been to try to impress his parents.

But then he found Tsuna, the boy who accepted him for no other reason than he could. Soon Lambo had his own uniform sitting on the hook and was enrolled as a transfer student in the school down the street from Tsuna.

This day he got out to see Reborn in a ridiculous elephant hat "Go to the Namimori Middle gym, Tsuna's got a match." as he made his way over he saw Hayato and Takeshi and told them of the 'match'. Soon everyone was piled into the workout gym.

* * *

For a moment Tsuna contemplated beating all of them for this treachery, but decided against it seeing as he could hold it over them for the rest of their lives. Ryohei beamed at him "TSUNAYOSHI! READY TO THE **EXTREME**!?"

Tsuna lifted his gloves in a block "If I say no will you let me out of this ring and forget I even exist?"

"NO!" and the bell rang and the boxer leapt at the boy and landed blow after blow against his frail body.

After Tsuna lifted himself with shaky arms onto unsteady legs Reborn smirked "Well, let's see how 'extreme' this boy really is" and a bullet embedded itself into Ryohei's head.

And to the shock of everyone watching nothing changed. the Boxing club captain just stood back up with his forehead ablaze "Come on Sawada! Hit me to the **EXTREME!**"

Without waiting Reborn fired a shot into Tsuna.

With that bullet something did change. The temperature seemed to drop as the younger boy stood and his flame was immensely _wrong_. The chilled look in his eyes was something that those not staring right at him couldn't feel. "I said I wasn't going to join you."

With a scoff the boxer replied "Real men talk with their fists!" and leapt forward again firing off a barrage of punches that moved faster than the trio of boys could see.

Reborn watched with an almost fatal interest in the last heir, as he dodged it was only by millimeters, enough that the only force transferred was the rush of air the brushed his hair. It was something he had never seen before, nor had he heard of it- Primo was known for an acrobatic style utilizing his flames to fly out of enemy reach.

Ryohei's chant of "Join!" was cut short as Tsuna ducked under and launched his own attack, a lightning blow to the boy's leading bicep to break the guard then a crippling uppercut that launched the older boy out of the ring and out of consciousness. Lowering his arm he stared icily at the other boy "I said no."

* * *

Two days later Ryohei walked to school, the arm that had taken a hit had turned a dark purple from shoulder to half past his elbow, as the uniform's short sleeve showed. His arm was near useless for the moment, the doctor had said deep tissue bruising that would need a week to heal up.

Then somebody dropped down before him. Feared by the town Kyoya Hibari glared at the boy's arm in shock. Ryohei was the only pseudo friend the Disciplinary Head had- somebody friendly to everyone and far to oblivious to actually be afraid of the metal tonfa that so often cut through the air.

"Herbivore, who did this to you?" there was no malice or any discernible emotion behind the question. Only curiosity.

The hand twitched as if trying to come up "Oh this? Sawada, that boy is **EXTREME!**"

Hibari winced at the volume "Be quiet Herbivore." and he disappeared. The boxer, used to the treatment, shrugged and went on his way. Hibari watched from the roof as his smaller shadow looked up at him "I think we found a new toy…" he smirked.

* * *

In a certain field hidden from the world an old man shuffled around after a few stray sheep "Well come on girls, let's get you back to the others." a phone, far too advanced for the setting rang once before the old man shuffled around in his jacket, past the blood of so many heroes, past Laevateinn's hilt and his own hammer "Talbot here."

The voice on the other end was recognizable "Talbot, I've come across something I've never seen before."

That alone was something that caught the old man's attention "What's that now Reborn? Thirty years you've been stuck like this and now you find something new?"

Known by means other than the five senses humans possess the maker knew that Reborn was hesitant and had ran his hand over his mouth "You know about the heir?"

The old man snorted "Yes, I know of Sawada."

Reborn continued "I shot him with a dying will bullet…"

"Okay, so what? Not something you haven't done a hundred times before."

"Talbot. It was cold."

"What." the smith had froze and closed his eyes almost as if trying to prove he had heard wrong.

"After I shot him the flames…weren't right, it looked like moving glass and there wasn't the heat that the flame gives off…"

"Reborn." the tone of the man's voice caused the false-baby to stiffen "If he dies the Vongola is going to be worse off then ever. Do not let him die, you understand me!"

"Of course." and then the call was done.

The old man quickly took several calming breaths before he started to ramble to the animals staring at him "If it is…but it can't be…unless she was…but really…"

Reborn was far too confused to really pay much attention to give the baseball boy his usual warning about breaking windows as he walked out of his room and into the backyard. Something wasn't right and Talbot knew what it was…or at least suspected something.

* * *

Tsuna was quickly walking to school, Hayato would rush into the classroom at the last minute, something that irritated the shorter boy a great deal. Reborn sat on his shoulder musing about the conversation the other day when he reflexively transformed Leon into a metal bar and deflected the tonfa coming at his face "Hmm. Baby, what are you?"

The hitman looked up to see one of the top rated people of the small town staring at him "I'm a hitman."

Lambo ran up to the duo panting "Tsuna-nii, why are the schools so far away?"

Hibari glared and the small cow hid behind the hitman's seat. "You reek of gun powder little cow…I think I found a playmate…" he smirked before whistling and a 10 year old girl showed up in a white button up with black pants and kenpo shoes, her hair was in a short ponytail that reached the top of her shoulder blades.

The girl started talking in a language that Tsuna didn't understand, she pointed to Reborn and Hibari grunted "Baby…you're not a baby are you?"

Reborn, however, ignored him in favor of looking at I-pin "You're Fon's student aren't you…making you his nephew." the boy growled.

With a quick shove Hibari sent the girl forward before growled out "Her master sent her here to get…_social skills_…herbivores meandering around each other sickens me so you…bond with her then send her back." he growled before leaping away.

Tsuna, who had remained quiet throughout the encounter just rubbed his temples "Hey asshole! Really?!" he hissed through gritted teeth.

But there was nothing to be done. He was gone.

Reborn patted his head "I need to talk to her so you go on ahead."

Tsuna gave the hitman a blank stare "Well I have to considering if I'm late he might just kill me" and the two boys continued on their way.

As they disappeared around the corner Reborn asked in Mandarin "_I-pin, would you care for some coffee?"_

She bowed with her hands clasped _"It is a bit strong for my tastes,"_ there was a moment's silence as the man jumped on her shoulder "_My master told me a lot about you."_

Reborn only replied with _"Of all the Arcobaleno Fon is the easiest to get along with."_

The girl went silent _"Master is worried about the Cloud…"_

For the first time in many years Reborn thought about the young man who was brought in against his will. Skull was the only one who tried to get out. He wasn't an assassin either, just a boy cursed by luck _"I am too…"_

A moment of contemplative silence passed before a call lit up the screen on the baby's cell.

"I'm here…though I'm not sure how you managed to get me and half the famiglia to overnight to Japan…" said the man on the other side of the line.

"Don't worry about that, just get to the house as soon as you can and I'll meet you there." Reborn held the phone between his shoulder and ear before pressing his palms together and bowing his head politely "_I'm afraid we must part ways here._"

She returned the gesture after he jumped off and started after her master's cousin. Continuing the conversation the traveler sighed heavily "Reborn, I really don't see why you called me here…"

The assassin's smirk was heard "That's why I'm the teacher."

"Sure…what time does school let out?"

"They just got there."

* * *

Bianchi's kidnapping of her brother was unsurprising, as was Yamamoto's admittance of baseball practice. What was unusual was Lambo was now being followed by the girl from this morning. Tsuna looked at the duo before the younger boy shrugged "I can't even understand her!"

Tsuna's dead-eyed stare did nothing to dispel what he hoped was an illusion. So with a shake of his head and a deep sigh he started the trudge to his home with Lambo quietly talking about his day, his usual boisterous tone killed by the girl who stared at him without the need to blink.

Very quickly things seemed to get worse.

As they stopped they saw that surrounding the house was a multitude of people, all wearing high end black suits with suspicious bulges near their shoulders. Tsuna seemed to ignore the sight and continued his walk to the house only to be caught by a man who looked like something out of a 30's mobster movie "I ain't lettin' anybody who ain't a Sawada through!"

The blank stare he got was starting to creep him out when the younger man said "This is my house, and if you don't believe me I can show you a license or the keys to the house."

The mass bowed quickly and moved out of his way, Lambo was practically glued to his back with I-pin glancing around in a state of confusion, unknown by either of the boys she asked _"Is this normal around here?"_

Lambo turned to face her while still walking "You know, I have no idea what you just said…"

She retorted with _"And I understand every word you say."_

Scowling Lambo turned back around.

At the table was Reborn who looked at the man who sat beside him "We've been waiting for you."

Before the man sitting next to him could say his greetings Tsuna put his bag near the door and his effects in the small basket "We would have been here sooner but these people who are 'guarding' wouldn't let me through. I could have been an assassin and said I was a Sawada and they would have let me through."

The man sitting next to Reborn cleared his throat and opened his mouth to speak when a lump suddenly got caught in it. Tsuna's eyes pinned him there and burned through him. Judging him lacking he turned back to Reborn "Who's this guy? He reeks of Mafia."

"I'm Dino, 10th head of the Cavallone Family." Dino was wearing a false-fur lined jacket with baggy cargo pants and a black tee on underneath, peeking out from under one of the sleeves was a tattoo on the back of his hand. For a moment the seriousness lasted before Dino busted out in laughter "He's no good!" he crossed his arms "You don't have the aura, you look unlucky, you don't seem ambitious, the way you present yourself is terrible and there's no sense of anticipation. Overall your ability to be a boss is zero!"

Tsuna's apathetic face changed to annoyed "Yes, I know. Now what do you want? A fucking cookie? Get out of my house." he spat.

The two guards laughed along with Dino, Reborn smiled and gestured for Lambo and I-pin to stand beside him. Dino smiled "I can't!"

Tsuna growled "Why is that?"

"Because Reborn here asked me to come!"

"You're here. Now leave."

Dino's smile continued on as he turned to Reborn "He's got a bad attitude, you didn't tell me about that."

Tsuna answered instead of his tutor "Being left as an orphan for two thirds of your life will do that too you. Now, do me a favor and leave."

Dino's jaw dropped and his eyes widened. Reborn stepped in "Tsuna, Dino was the person I trained before you. He also had no talent for becoming a boss."

"Like I've said for the thousandth time, I want nothing to do with the mafia. I don't care if each of those idiots kill each other like dogs."

Dino seemed to get a hold of himself "You were right Reborn, he's bitter about it."

For the first time Lambo spoke up "But he has reason to be s-so stop picking on him!"


End file.
